Nesting and stacking trays



Feb. 23, 1960 J, D, wlLsoN 2,925,919

NESTING AND STACKING TRAYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1s,

Feb. 23, 1960 J. D. wlLsoN 2,925,919

NESTING AND sTAcKING TRAYS Fild June 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23,1960 J. D. WILSON 2,925,919

NESTING AND STACKING TRAYS Filed June 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UnitedSttes NESTING AND STACKING TRAYS James 'Duncan Wilson, Long Beach,Calif., assignor to 'Banner Metals, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., acorpora- :tion of Ohio Application June 18, 1956, Serial No. 591,827

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-126) This invention relates to trays and inparticular to trays which may be stacked one upon the other when loadedand which may be nested one within the other when empty.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tray which may be stackedvertically upon a similar tray and which may be nested within a similartray without turning one of the trays ninety degrees with respect to theother, the vnested trays meeting along horizontal surfaces so that nowedging action occurs. A further object of the invention is to providesuch a tray which may be so nested and stacked without requiring anymoving parts, such as bails or the like. It is another object of theinvention to provide stacking and nesting trays with each tray havingmeans for indexing or centering it with respect to the trays stackedabove and below it so that the stack is maintained in verticalalignmengand with each tray having means for indexing or centering itwith respect to trays nested above and below it so that the nested trayswill be maintained in vertical alignment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tray which may benested with a plurality of identical trays with each tray resting onside rails of the next tray below and resting on the end rails of thenth tray below, n being a small whole number.

It is another object of the invention to provide a stackingand nestingtray having parallel upper end rails lwhich provide Ifor slidingengagement with lthe. tray stacked above, which serve to support andcenter the tray stacked above and which are used as handles in movingthe tray from one point to another.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a stacking andnesting tray which is suitable for handling products such 4as loaves ofbread or the like, the tray having open ends and a bottom with spacedparallel ridges extending from one end to the other so that the tray maybe easily loaded while stacked with a plurality of similar trays.

It is another object of the invention to provide a stacking and nestingtray suitable for use with square milk cartons or the like, the traybeing provided with a centrally positioned band which together with thebottom of of Fig. 1, with a portion of a second tray stackedA on 'top ofthe rst tray; f

Patented Feb. 23, 1960 Fig. 3' is a sectional view taken along the line3--3 of Fig. 1, with a portion of a second tray stacked on top of thefirst tray;

Fig. 4 is -a side view showing the tray .of Fig. 1 being nested with anidentical tray;

Fig. 5 is a side view showing a plurality of the trays of Fig. 1 nestedtogether;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;l

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 8 is a section-al View taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, with aportion of a second tray stacked on the trst tray;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 7, with aportion of a second tray stacked on the rst tray;

Fig. l0 is a side view showing the tray of Fig. 7 being nested with anidentical tray; and

Fig. 11 is a side View showing two trays of the embodiment of Fig. 7nested together.

The embodiment shown in Figs. l through 6 includes a tray bottom unit 20having opposite spaced sides 20a and 2Gb and opposite spaced ends 20cand 20d. The tray bottom unit carries lower end rails 21, 22. Lower siderails 23, 24 are disposed in spaced relation above the tray bottom unitlaterally inwardfrom the sides 20a and 20h of the tray bottom unit.Rigid upstanding members 25, 26, 27, 28 extend up from the tray bottomunit and at their upper ends are connected to upper end rails 29, 30 andupper side rails 31, 32. The upper end rails 29, 30 constitute theopposite ends andy the "side rails 31, 32 constitute the opposite sidesof a tray top unit which is open. The ends and sides of the tray topunit are in spaced, substantially parallel relationship to the ends andsides of the tray bottom unit. The upstanding members and the rails arepreferably manufactured from steel rod or the like, the rod being formedto the desired configuration and Welded in position. The tray bottomunit 20 is preferably formed from a rectangular piece of sheet metalwith an upstanding edge 36 around the periphery and a depressed centralportion 37 having an opening 38 therein. This preferred form of thebottom is best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. The opening 38 is covered by anopen grid consisting of parallel spaced rods 39 resting on the-centralportions 37 of the bottom and extending from one side to the other ofthe opening 3'8 and parallel spaced rods 40 resting on the centralportion 37 and on the rods 39 and extending from one end to the other ofthe opening 3S. The open grid permits small particles to drop throughthe tray, thereby aiding in keeping the tray clean. The parallel spacedrods 40 are advantageous in that they serve` as runners and guides forobjects, such as loaves of bread, being loaded into the tray through thespace between the upper and lower end rails.

The upstanding edge 36 of the bottom is corrugated in shape to increasethe rigidity of the structure. This corrugated form includes a concavesection 44 inwhich the end rails 21, 22 are positioned, as seen in Fig.2. In this embodiment, the end rail 21 is wrapped around the adjacentcorners of the bottom 20 and is formed integrally with the verticalmembers 25, 2S which are `attached to the sides of the bottom. atcorresponding points set back from the corners thereof. The constructionat the opposite end of the tray is identical to` that just described.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the upper ends of the upstanding members 2'5and 2a are spaced further apart,y than the lower ends thereof, thedistance betweenthe upper ends'A being such that the'distance betweenthe upper. end

rails 29 and 30 carried by the upstanding members 25 and 26respectively, is slightly greater than the end to end dimension of thedepressed portion 37 of the tray bottom 20 and less than the spacingbetween the end rails 21, 22 on the tray bottom. The upstanding members28 and 27 are identical to the upstanding members 25 and 26. A secondtray 4'5, which is identical to the tray described, may be stacked ontop of the first tray with its bottom resting on the upper end rails 29and 30 of the rst tray and with the depressed portion 46 thereofpositioned between the upper end rails 29 and 30 of `the irst tray,thereby providing vertical alignment of the two stacked trays.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the upper ends of the upstanding members 26 and27 at one end of the tray are spaced further apart than the lower endsthereof and the upstanding members 25 and 28 at the opposite end of thetray have corresponding congurations. The lower side rail '23 is carriedbetween the upstanding members 27 and 28 spaced upward from the bottomof the tray. A rod '49 is carried between the upstanding members 27 and28 along the side edge 36 of the tray bottom to increase the strength ofthe structure. The upper side rail 31 is formed integrally with theupstanding members 27 and 28, the upper side rail having a centralportion 50 which evtends laterally inward of the remainder of the upperside rail so that the distance between the central portion 50 and acorresponding central portion `51 of the upper side rail -32 is justslightly greater than the over-all side-to-side dimension of the traybottom 20. Thus when the second tray 45 is stacked on the -rst tray andis resting on and positioned between the upper end rails 219 and 30 itwill also be positioned between the central portions 50 and 51, therebyproviding indexing or centering in two directions normal to each otherso that the stacked trays will be a vertical interlocked structure.

The tray of the invention may be lifted by using the upper end rails 29and 30 as handles. In carrying out the stacking operation, a lower edgeof the tray held by the operator, such as the edge 54 of the tray 45 ofFig. 3, is rested on that portion of the upper end rails in the zoneindicated by the arrow 55 of Fig. 3 with the overhanging portion of theupper tray being supported by the operator. Then the upper tray is slidalong the upper end rails to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 until theupper tray drops into the centered position.

Two trays may be nested one within the other by tilting the upper trayy45 as shown in Fig. 4 so that its bottom 56 will pass between the upperend rails 29, 30 of the lower tray. Then the bottom of the upper traywill rest on the lower side rails 23 and 24 of the lower tray, as seenin Figs. and 6. The distance between the lower side rails 23, 24 isslightly greater than the over-all side-to-side dimension of thedepressed central portion 37 of the bottom of the tray so that the uppertray will be positioned and centered in vertical alignment with thelower tray. The upward haring of the Vertical member 26 and 27 describedabove and shown in Fig. 3 permits the upper tray to be supported on thelower side rails of the lower tray with the contact surface between thetwo trays lying in a horizontal plane so that there is no wedging actionoccurring which would make the nested trays diflcult to separate. Eachof the vertical members is formed with a portion 59 (Fig. 3) oisetoutward from a lower portion 60 a distance less than the width of thelower portion 60 and with both portions 59 and y60 lying in a commonplane (Fig. 2). 'Ihe positions of the lower side rails with respect tothe bottom of the tray and the slope of the plane in which the portions59 and `60 of the vertical members lie are selected so that when onetray is nested within another, as shown in Fig. 5, the upper tray willnot quite engage the vertical members of the tray below, therebyproviding end-to-end centering for maintaining the nested trays invertical alignment.

Four identical trays are shown nested together in Fig. 5 with the bottomof each tray resting on the lower side rails of the tray immediatelybelow it. The vertical distance between the upper surfaces of the upperend rails 29 and 30 and the surface 62 of the bottom which rests on theupper end rails of the next lower tray when stacked is three timesgreater than the distance between the upper surface of the lower siderails 23, 24 and the surface 63 of the bottom which rests on the lowerside rails of the next tray below when nested. Then when four or moreidentical trays are nested as seen in Fig. 5, each yof. the trays exceptthe lower three will be resting on both the lower side rails of the trayimmediately beneath it and on the upper end rails of the third traybeneath it, thereby increasing the rigidity and strength of the nestedstructure and permitting a larger number of trays to be nested together.The 3 to l ratio of vertical distances described above can of course beany small whole number such as 2, 3, 4, 5, or the like.

An alternative embodiment of the invention which is especially adaptedto transport square-shaped milk cartons or the like is shown in Figs 7through ll. This embodiment comprises a tray 70 having a bottom unit 7.1having opposite spaced sides 71a and 71b and opposite spaced endsconstituted by lower end rails 72, 73. Lower side rails 74, 75 aredisposed in spaced relation above the tray bottom unit. Rigid upstandingmembers 76, 77, 78, 79 extend up from the tray bottom unit and at theirupper ends are connected to an open tray top unit composed of upper endrails 80, '81 and upper side rails 82, 83. An intermediate band '84extends around the upstanding members 76-79 between the tray bottom unit71 and the tray top unit 80-83. This tray may be manufactured in themanner described in conjunction with the embodiment of Fig. l. Thebottom 71 comprises a rectangular sheet 87 (Fig. 8) having a turned-upedge -8'8 and a large central opening 89 with a sheet 90 having anover-all pattern of diamond-shaped openings therein mounted on the sheet87.

The lower end rail 72 is U-shaped having a center arm '93 and side arms94, 95 with the three arms lying in a horizontal plane. The bottom 71 ispositioned between the side arms 94 and 95 with the center arm 93 spacedfrom the turned-up edge of the bottom. In the embodiment shown in Fig.7, the upstanding members 76 and 77 are formed integrally with the sidearms 94 and 95, respectively, of the lower end rail and extend upwardfrom the sides of the bottom 71 at points set back from the corners ofthe bottom. The construction of the other end of the tray is identicalto that just described.

The upper end rails and 811 have corresponding raised central portions96 and 97, respectively, which are spaced apart a distance slightly*greater than the over-all end-to-end dimension of the bottom 71. Thelower end rails 72 and 7'3 are spaced from the bottom 71 a distanceslightly greater than the thickness of the central portions '96 and 97of the top end rails so that when a second tray 98 is stacked on top ofthe rst tray 70 with the side arms of the U-shaped lower end rails ofthe upper tray resting on the upper end rails of the lower tray, theraised portions 96 and 97 of the lower tray will be positioned in thespaces between the lower end rails and the bottom of the upper tray, asseen in Fig. 8. f

The raised central portion `97 of the upper end rail 81 has shoulders100, 101 at each end thereof, respectively, spaced so that the distanceacross the shoulders is slightly less than the distance between the sidearms of the U-shaped lower end rail 73. The upper end rail 80 isprovided with similar shoulders 102, 103. When the upper tray `98 isstacked on the lower tray 70, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the positioningof the central portions 96 and '97 in the spaces between the lower endrails and the bottom serves to center and interlock the upper tray onthe lower tray both sidewise and endwise, thereby providing a rigidvertically aligned stack.

As best seen in Fig. 9 the inner surfaces of opposing ends 105, 106 andopposing side sections 107, 108 of the intermediate band `84 arepositioned above and in vertical alignment with the outer surfaces ofthe upturned edge 88 of the bottom 71 to dene a vertically extendingspace of rectangular cross section within the tray in which a pluralityof rectangular or square-shaped cartons or the like can be snuglypacked.

Trays which are constructed according to the embodiment of Fig. 7 may benested in the same manner as those described in conjunction with Fig. 1,the nesting operation being shown partially completed in Fig. andcompleted in Fig. l1. When nested, the upper tray 98 rests on the endsof the lower side rails 74, 75 of the lower tray 70, the lower rails7'4, 75 having raised shoulders 110 adjacent each end thereof with thedistance over the shoulders on each of the side rails being slightlyless than the distance between the lower ends of the vertical memberswhich rest on the ends of the lower side rails of the -tray nestedbelow. Referring to Fig. 9, a portion 111 of each vertical member isoffset outward from a lower portion 112 a distance slightly greater thanthe width of the vertical member so that when one tray is nested withinanother, the upper tray will be centered side-to-side between theportions 111 of the vertical members. rlhus the nested trays are alignedand interlocked both sidewise and endwise.

Another means for end-to-end centering of nested trays is also providedin the embodiment of Figs. 7 to 11. The intermediate band '84 ispositioned vertically so that when one tray is nested with another, theends 105.106 of the intermediate band will occupy the same horizontalplane as the upper end rails '80, 81 of the next tray below (Fig. l1).Since the ends 105, 106 are in vertical alignment with the edge 88 ofthe bottom 71 and since the distance between the upper end rails `80,`81 is made slightly greater than the end-to-end dimension of thebottom, the intermediate band '84 maintains .the nested trays in endwisealignment.

The relative distances between the upper end rails and the bottom andthe lower side rails and the bottom may be selected in the same manneras described in conjunction with the embodiment of Fig. 1, so that aplurality of the trays of the embodiment of Fig. 7 may be nestedtogether with the upper trays resting on the side rails of the nextlower tray and also on the end rails of the nth lower tray, where n is asmall whole number.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed anddiscussed, it will be understood that other applications of theinvention are possible and that the embodiments disclosed may besubjected to various changes, modification and substitutions Withoutnecessarily departing from the spin't of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

11. In a tray adapted to be stacked with or nested with a plurality ofidentical trays and comprising a tray bottom unit having spaced oppositeends and spaced opposite sides, an open tray top unit disposed abovesaid tray bottom unit and comprising spaced opposite ends and spacedopposite sides which extend between said last-mentioned ends and denetherewith an opening, said ends of the tray top unit being positionedcloser to each other than said ends of the tray bottom unit, wherebywhen two such trays are stacked together the tray bottom unit of theupper tray rests on top of the ends of the tray top unit of the lowertray, said sides of the tray bottom unit being positioned closer to eachother than said sides of the tray top unit to permit nesting of saidtrays with one another, and rigid members connecting said ltray bottomunit to said tray top unit at the respective sides thereof, said rigidmembers having portions which extend down from the tray top unit and aredisposed laterally outward from the respective sides of the tray bottomunit so as to permit the tray bottom unit of an upper tray to beinserted down toward the tray bottom unit of a lower tray when saidtrays are being nested together, said rigid members being connected tothe tray bottom unit inward from the latters ends an amount suflicientto permit one end of the tray bottom unit of an upper tray to beinserted under the corresponding end of the tray top unit of a lowertray and the opposite end of the tray bottom unit of said upper traymoved down inside the opposite end of `the tray top unit of said lowertray when said trays are being nested together, the improvement whichcomprises: support members at the respective opposite sides of -the traywhich are spaced above the tray bottom unit and below the tray top unitand are positioned flor engagement with one of said units on the nextadjacent tray when the trays are nested together, said support membersbeing disposed at a level above the tray bottom unit sucient to maintainthe tray bottom units of successive nested trays spaced from oneanother.

2. The tray of claim l wherein said support members are disposedlaterally inward from the respective sides of the tray bottom unit toprovide supports for the tray bottom unit of the next higher tray whenthe trays are nested together.

3. The tray of claim l wherein said support members present portionswhich are disposed substantially directly vertically above correspondingportions at the respective sides of the tray bottom unit and laterallyinward from the respective sides of the tray top unit to providesupports for the tray bottom unit of the next higher tray when the traysare nested together.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,955,236 Jarvis April 17, 1934 2,662,662 Moorhead Dec. 15, 19532,782,936 Lockwood Feb. 26, 1957

